Learn how BOMA BEST certification grades affect your building’s energy use, tenant comfort, and costs. This article will help you understand the different certification levels and key areas to focus on.
Imagine cutting operating costs while boosting tenant satisfaction and property value. Building owners and property managers who achieve BOMA BEST certification see these measurable returns on their sustainability investments. These certified properties command higher rents, retain tenants longer, and operate more efficiently than their non-certified counterparts. BOMA BEST certification provides a clear framework for achieving these goals, with over 4,000 buildings actively participating in this North American sustainability program. Understanding the different certification tiers helps you plan your building’s path toward improved performance and reduced environmental impact. Modern wireless sensor technology, like cirkuit’s comprehensive monitoring solutions, plays a central role in meeting and maintaining these certification standards.BOMA BEST applies across all commercial asset classes—including office, retail, multi-family, and industrial buildings (Asset Classes).
Understanding BOMA BEST Levels
BOMA BEST operates on a five-tier system that allows buildings to progress gradually through increasingly rigorous sustainability requirements. Each level represents a commitment to better environmental stewardship and operational efficiency. The certification levels range from Baseline to Platinum, with each tier requiring specific documentation, monitoring practices, and performance benchmarks.
Buildings with BOMA BEST certification show tenant satisfaction rates approximately 70% higher than non-certified properties.
- Baseline (0–29%)
- Bronze (30–59%)
- Silver (60–79%)
- Gold (80–89%)
- Platinum (90–100%)
What BOMA BEST Certification Means for Building Performance
Certification reflects a building’s systematic approach to reducing environmental impact while maintaining occupant comfort and safety. The program addresses energy consumption, water usage, waste management, and indoor environmental quality through measurable practices and continuous monitoring.
Real-time data collection becomes increasingly important as buildings advance through certification levels. Sensors that monitor air quality, energy consumption, and occupancy patterns provide the foundation for informed decision-making and automated responses that keep buildings operating at peak efficiency.
BOMA BEST Baseline Level: Entry into Sustainability
The Baseline level requires buildings to meet fundamental practices while achieving 0-29% on the certification questionnaire. This entry point establishes basic documentation systems and introduces energy tracking protocols. Buildings with less than 50% occupancy can only achieve Baseline certification, making this level particularly relevant for properties in transition or development.
Even at this foundational level, wireless sensors help optimize resource usage by providing accurate data on occupancy patterns, temperature fluctuations, and basic energy consumption. Note: Buildings with less than 50% occupancy are only eligible for Baseline certification according to BOMA BEST eligibility criteria, and all projects must meet the 12 Baseline Practices to qualify as outlined in the program requirements.
Bronze Level: Building on Environmental Practices
Bronze certification requires 30-59% questionnaire completion plus expanded sustainability policies. Buildings must demonstrate consistent energy management practices and implement water conservation measures. This level demands more comprehensive data collection to track performance improvements over time.
Properties must maintain a 12-month average occupancy of ≥50% to qualify for Bronze certification (Eligibility Criteria).
Water leak sensors become particularly valuable at this level, providing instant detection and automatic shut-off capabilities that prevent costly damage while documenting water conservation efforts. Power meter sensors deliver the detailed energy consumption data needed to track performance improvements and identify optimization opportunities across building systems.
Silver Level: Advanced Commitment
Silver level buildings achieve 60-79% on the questionnaire through comprehensive resource management and formal environmental programs. This tier requires detailed tracking of energy consumption patterns, waste reduction initiatives, and occupant engagement strategies.
Temperature sensors and humidity monitoring provide the granular data needed to fine-tune building operations and respond quickly to performance variations. These sensors help maintain optimal conditions while reducing energy waste through precise HVAC control.
Gold Level: Leading Edge Performance
Gold certification demands 80-89% questionnaire completion with rigorous operational accountability. Buildings at this level integrate advanced technologies and demonstrate measurable environmental impact reduction. Automated systems and predictive maintenance become standard practices.
Advanced sensor networks prevent costly damage through early detection while ensuring optimal tenant comfort through precise environmental control.
Platinum Level: Top Tier Recognition
Platinum represents the pinnacle of sustainable building operations with 90-100% questionnaire completion. These buildings pursue near-zero waste objectives and implement cutting-edge carbon footprint minimization strategies. Platinum certification requires mandatory quality assessment to verify performance claims.
Buildings at this level rely heavily on sophisticated monitoring systems that track everything from carbon monoxide levels to precise energy consumption patterns across all building systems.
Key Areas of Focus for Sustainable Building Performance
BOMA BEST certification requires vigilant monitoring across several critical areas that directly impact building performance and occupant safety. These focus areas align perfectly with modern sensor technology capabilities.
Carbon Monoxide Monitoring in Parking Garages
Carbon monoxide detection in parking areas is both a safety requirement and certification necessity. The International Mechanical Code requires automatic detection at 25 ppm to trigger ventilation systems. Unmonitored CO accumulation poses serious health risks to building occupants.
Wireless air quality sensors provide continuous monitoring with immediate alerts when CO levels approach dangerous thresholds. These systems can automatically activate ventilation equipment, preventing hazardous conditions while documenting compliance for certification purposes.
Ensuring Indoor Air Quality in Tenant Spaces
BOMA BEST requires comprehensive Indoor Air Quality Monitoring Plans with specific targets including carbon dioxide not exceeding 700 ppm above ambient and carbon monoxide staying below 9 ppm. Temperature, humidity, and pollutant tracking directly influence tenant comfort and satisfaction.
Real-time monitoring allows building managers to address air quality issues immediately, preventing complaints and maintaining the healthy indoor environments that certified buildings promise their occupants.
Carbon Assessments Through Power Meters
Energy monitoring forms the backbone of carbon footprint reduction strategies required for BOMA BEST certification. Sub-metering capabilities help track equipment performance over time, ensuring optimal operation and identifying opportunities for efficiency improvements. BOMA BEST also requires annual carbon reporting, supported by sub-metered energy data as specified in the program documentation.
Power monitoring sensors provide the detailed consumption data needed for accurate carbon assessments. This information guides HVAC optimization decisions and enables property managers to track real environmental impact reductions.
People Counting in Retail Environments
Occupancy monitoring contributes significantly to building sustainability profiles by enabling smarter resource usage. Although not a strict BOMA BEST requirement, people counting best practices are outlined in industry guides, and they directly support accurate occupancy data for certification. Real-time occupancy data improves energy efficiency through demand-based lighting and HVAC control while preventing overcrowding that could compromise safety or comfort.
Building occupancy sensors help retail properties optimize operational scheduling, reduce energy waste during low-traffic periods, and maintain the precise environmental conditions that support both tenant satisfaction and certification requirements.
How cirkuit’s Wireless Sensor Technology Supports Each Certification Tier
Modern sensor technology provides the data foundation that makes BOMA BEST certification achievable and sustainable. cirkuit’s wireless monitoring platform addresses every critical area required for certification while simplifying the ongoing management tasks that maintain compliance.
Wireless Sensor Installation for Ongoing Monitoring
The modular nature of wireless sensor systems allows buildings to start with basic monitoring and expand coverage as they advance through certification levels. cirkuit’s sensor range covers water leak detection, air quality monitoring, temperature tracking, and occupancy measurement through simple, non-invasive installations. This flexibility ensures properties can incrementally build comprehensive monitoring systems that align with certification goals.
Unified Platform for Real-Time Insights
Centralized dashboards transform raw sensor data into actionable insights that support both daily operations and long-term sustainability goals. Immediate alerts for water leaks, CO spikes, temperature anomalies, or occupancy threshold breaches enable timely intervention that prevents damage and maintains optimal conditions. This real-time visibility helps building teams maintain the consistent performance standards required for BOMA BEST certification while reducing the manual monitoring burden that traditional systems impose.
Continuous Monitoring vs. Commissioning Snapshots
Traditionally, achieving compliance required third-party commissioning agents to walk the property and take air quality samples at a single point in time. While these snapshots can flag major issues, they provide little value for ongoing management. cirkuit replaces this limited view with continuous monitoring, giving property teams 365-day visibility into how different areas of a building perform throughout the year. With this data, managers can fine-tune ventilation, improve tenant comfort, and demonstrate sustained performance over time.
Cost and Disruption Eliminated
Commissioning agents not only provide limited insights – they’re also costly and disruptive. Annual or bi-annual site visits require coordination, interrupt tenants, and strain property management teams. With cirkuit, installation is a one-time process that eliminates the need for repeated on-site sampling. The result: ongoing, real-time data without recurring disruptions or added costs.
Integration and Data-Driven Decision Making
Sensor platforms that integrate seamlessly with existing building management systems provide the historical and live data needed for strategic planning and stakeholder communication. Performance trends, efficiency improvements, and compliance documentation become automatic byproducts of normal operations. This integration ensures sustainability initiatives support – rather than complicate – existing property management workflows.
Elevate Your BOMA BEST Certification With cirkuit’s Real-Time Monitoring
BOMA BEST certification success depends on consistent, accurate monitoring across all building systems. cirkuit’s wireless sensor platform provides the comprehensive data collection and real-time insights needed to achieve and maintain certification at any level. From Baseline to Platinum, our sensors deliver the performance documentation that certification requires while reducing operational costs and improving tenant satisfaction. Visit cirkuit.io to explore how our wireless sensors can power your path from Baseline to Platinum. See real-world deployments in our Commercial Office Applications and Multi-Family Applications.
Book a time with our team to learn about cirkuit’s sensor systems and how they can put you on track for your BOMA BEST certification.